Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti has suggested Barcelona star Lionel Messi receives preferential treatment from referees and "doesn't get punished" for the same acts as some players. Verratti let his emotions get the better of him and was sent off in the second leg of his side's UEFA Champions League last-16 meeting with Real Madrid for a show of dissent. However, he told La Gazzet...

This summer's upcoming NBA draft pool looks like one of the deepest in recent memory. Trae Young just led the country in points (27.4 per game) and assists (8.8) as a 19-year-old freshman, and he might not be among the top 10 picks. Marvin Bagley , a popular No. 1 pick earlier this year, could be out of the top three despite averaging 21.2 points on 61.3 percent shooting and 11.3 rebounds. This...

College football thrusts itself back into the spotlight over the next month, when spring practices take place across the nation. The practices and spring games give head coaches an early look at incoming freshmen, transfers and players in new roles. Every major program faces different challenges entering spring ball, but there are a few that are more difficult than most. Below is a guide to eve...

It's normal to have a strategy entering a fantasy draft, but all it takes is one person reaching for a player no one was expecting to go so high for everything to be thrown out of whack. Closer tends to be the position that will destroy any plan for a draft. Everyone thinks they need to get the best one, leading to a second-round surprise and an inevitable rush on the rest of the players in the...

It was one of the most surprising deals of the 2018 free-agency cycle, and it could be one of the most productive. When the San Francisco 49ers signed former Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon to a four-year, $30 million contract with $15.7 million guaranteed and a $2 million signing bonus March 14, it seemed like a lot for a guy who had gained just 1,918 yards and scored seven rush...

Paris Saint-Germain star Marco Verratti has moved to end any potential speculation regarding a summer move to Barcelona. Verratti has been continuously linked with a move to the Camp Nou and reportedly came close to joining last summer, but he told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato.com ) he's got goals to achieve in Paris: "I've read that [Mino] Raiola has offered me to ...

Boston Celtics general manager and president Danny Ainge is walking back his statement that Gordon Hayward had a "setback" a month-and-a-half ago, saying he chose his words poorly. Ainge clarified his comments to the Boston Herald 's Steve Bulpett on Sunday: "You know what? Sometimes I talk too much. 'Setback' wasn't the right word, so let me rephrase that because it's not exactly true to say i...

Houston Rockets guard Gerald Green is likely to face a fine after shoving Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng in defense of point guard Chris Paul during an altercation in Sunday's game. Paul said Green won't have to pay a dime of whatever penalty is handed down by the NBA . Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported Paul said he plans to pay Green's fine. Green came over and shov...

Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s transition to MMA is one step closer to becoming a reality. Mayweather told TMZ he is planning to apply for a license that will allow him to compete in mixed martial arts, with the goal of making his UFC debut some point in the near future. "Everything takes time. Eventually, we're gonna apply for the license, and hopefully we can fight," Mayweather said. Mayweather added...

Lionel Messi is happy for the support he and Argentina have received ahead of the 2018 World Cup but has slammed the treatment of the team at the hands of the press. Speaking on Argentinian television show La Cornisa (h/t Marca ), Messi said: "I have seen everywhere how many people want it to also be a good World Cup for me, that there is a desire to see me win it. "The truth is that it has str...

Despite a wide range of upsets occurring over the first two rounds of the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament, plenty of big-name programs remain alive entering the Sweet 16. A pair of No. 1 and No. 2 seeds made it through the madness of the first and second rounds, while a No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 seed advanced to the second weekend of the competition. Although it's possible one of the unlikel...

The final eight teams to move out of the second round and into the Sweet 16 in the 2018 NCAA women's basketball tournament will be determined Monday. A few upsets occurred during the first round, setting up four double-digit seeds for potential success in the second round. However, winning as a lower seed is much more difficult in the first two rounds of the women's tournament because the games...

The 2017-18 NHL regular season is ticking down to its conclusion on April 7, and points are at a premium as teams jockey for playoff position and try to earn home-ice advantage. The Atlantic Division appears to be a done deal for the three teams on top. The Tampa Bay Lightning have a four-point lead over the Boston Bruins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs trail the Bruins by five points. Those three...

A week after free agency's legal-tampering period, the majority of players have signed and are getting ready to meet with their new teammates. But there are still some players that are making their rounds with teams around the league. For some, players may take their time in making a decision, some may be hoping and praying they land a deal at all and some may need to wait until after the NFL d...

Every day that passes brings Major League Baseball closer to Opening Day of the 2018 season. Players who are already locked into jobs can feel both relieved and excited about that. Players who are still battling for jobs, however, should feel nothing but anxious. We took a look at the early winners and losers of the biggest position battles of spring training back on March 5. Given much has cha...